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September 24, 2016

French Activism Growing In ON

This message will show you that, while the rest of us are quietly living our lives without worries about how the country is doing, the French activists are busy building themselves more institutions devoted to themselves. They've already got the provinces of Quebec & NB, now they're going after ON is a big way. We have demands for more money to build French-only universities (bilingual universities like the Ottawa University are not good enough for preserving their language & culture) and more French-only medical facilities where the administration is done only in French. Bilingualism just leads to assimilation, they insist.

Let's start with the French Universities in Ontario. Before we go into what's happening now, let me link you to an article, written in 2013 in the MacLean's magazine that tells you how unnecessary more French universities are in Ontario.

I'm only selecting the relevant paragraphs - if you want the total English translation by Google, just ask.

EXCLUSIVE - Only 13 new students have enrolled this year in all five programs offered by the Office of The City College in Toronto. Two programs have not received any registration.

The Franco-Ontarian student reunification (REFO), which campaigns for the creation of a French-language university in Ontario, avoids the conclusion that there is a lack of interest from students for post-secondary programs in French.

The institution is based in Ottawa. Its Toronto office has an annual budget of about $ 400,000

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However, our French Powers that be (believe me they are powerful & are determined to pursue the idea of spending more on French-only institutions):

TORONTO - The custom is that the Liberal government distributes a "gift" for Franco-Ontarian Day. On the thorny issue of the Franco-Ontarian university, the Liberals announced Thursday, September 22, the appointment of Dyane Adam as head of the planning council.

The former Commissioner of Official Languages of Canada will be the president of this group promised since June and supposed "plan future steps to achieving francophone university", says the Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs, Marie-France Lalonde .

Over a period of six months, planning council described as "historic" by Ms. Adam will file a report to the government in spring 2017. The president said the aim "late March" for completion.

Five other people to sit on the planning board will be appointed "with imminence" said Ms. Adam.

For Ms. Lalonde, it is not only recommendations but "concrete action".

Still, the minister remains very vague about the nature that take the future facility: "It is important for our government to have an environment by and for francophones. The planning board will move towards responsible and sustainable process. "

Ms. Adam prefers his side spoke of a "preliminary step" in the Board of Governors, still required by French activists, and by 2018 at the latest.

A school year in a French language university for 2018? Again, Ms. Lalonde and Adam - well qu'interrogées separately - are not able to give a specific date.

Last June, the Liberal government of Kathleen Wynne was first actually opened the door for a French-language university after the findings of a committee of experts. This clearly recommended building a campus run by Francophones and providing students with a living environment in French.

"We wonder about the precise mandate of the planning committee," has informed #ONfr general manager Franco-Ontarian student reunification (REFO), Alain Dupuis. We asked a government by and for francophones. This committee will report to the Government and will not be liable to the community. "

The cry is always the same - "we want to stop the minority French from being assimilated". NO question about whether we can afford the luxury of preserving the French language & culture - it is already causing economic hardships in Quebec & NB but that's OK, Ontario has lots of money (not). A debt of $300 Billion is a pittance which can be paid for by our future generations!!

TORONTO - New Democrat MP, France Gélinas, reintroduced his private member's bill for the creation of a Franco-Ontarian university on Wednesday 21 September. The Francophone community can no longer wait in this case, argued several speakers came to support the process.

ETIENNE FORTIN-GAUTHIER efgauthier@tfo.org | @etiennefg

"The number one priority of the Franco-Ontarian community is the creation of the University of French Ontario," according to the NDP MP for Nickel Belt. The first version of the bill in this area died with the prorogation of the Ontario parliament at the beginning of the month.

Denis Vaillancourt, President of the Assembly of the Francophonie in Ontario (AFO), argues that the vacuum left by the absence of a francophone university has an impact on the vitality of the community. "Young people have lived a life of French experience in elementary and secondary school. Then you need an academic institution whose walls exude French. Bilingual institutions do not breathe our French life, "he said.

Mr. Vaillancourt doubt the relevance of the planning council promised by the Liberal government, whose composition must be announced soon. It will produce another report that will complement the other, he said. He prefers to turn it into council provisional governors, which would constitute the foundation of the new university and a concrete commitment to its implementation within a reasonable time.

A view shared by France Gélinas: "It is perhaps a good thing that the committee was never established. Another committee will not solve anything. "

Eric Desrochers also participated in the briefing of the NDP member. He completed a BA at Glendon, the bilingual campus of York University and continued his studies at the University of Ottawa. "We are told that these institutions are ours, but the decisions are made in English by a Board of Governors without taking into account Francophone issues. The reflex bilingual institutions is not to think of francophones. In student life is also always in English, "he said.

Lucas Egan, another activist in favor of the French university, critical attitude the Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs, Marie-France Lalonde. He wanted a reference to the project in the Throne Speech, presented Monday, September 12."You have not earned our trust, nor that of the Franco-Ontarian people," he launched for Ms. Lalonde.

The Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs, Marie-France Lalonde, again promised the next advertisements in the French university record.

"I want to reaffirm the government's commitment to the francophone university. We set up the planning board," she said a few minutes after the briefing of his NDP opponent.

Why not turn the board in planning the Governing Council, as Denis Vaillancourt offers? "He will lead us and help us to make responsible decisions. I want our children and grandchildren to go to this university. We want a sustainable project and that we are not forced to close as the Great Lakes College was", she merely replied.

Many Francophone students say that bilingual academic institutions currently in place to help the French-language youth assimilation. Marie-France Lalonde says she was able to keep his mother tongue, even if she, herself, attended a bilingual university.

After meeting the press, the minister went to meet some of the students who demand a university. She wanted to be reassuring saying that she wanted to do things the right way to ensure project success.

Josée Joliat, vice president of the Franco-Ontarian student reunification (REFO) had enough of the rhetoric of the government.

"We cannot wait any longer. It is always their answer! We're out of patience. We cannot ask people to wait and wait to infinity! "She began moments after the intervention of Ms. Lalonde.

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The plans for the other parts of Canada are available if you're interested.

President (CLF)

LanguageFairness.ca

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